Oil purifier



Nav.. 24, 1936.

J. R. MILLER OIL PURIFIER original Filed Jan. 2, 1931 Patented Nov. 24,1936 UNITED STATES OIL PURIFIER James R. Miller, Pittsburgh, Pa.,assigner, by mesne assignments, to Bocjl Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.. acorporation of Delaware Application January 2, 1931, Serial No. 506,169

Renewed January 12, 1934 s claims. (o1. 19e-'16) My invention relates tooil purifiers and particularly to apparatus for purifying or renovatingcrank-case oil of motor vehicles.

An object of my invention is to provide an oil purifier that is of suchsimple and inexpensive construction that it isfcapable of extended useby owners of relatively small numbers of vehicles or owners of garages.

A further object of my invention isto provide A v an oil purifier of fewand' simple moving parts vwhereby, its operation is attended withrelatively little wear and the replacement or rep-air of such parts isreduced to a minimum.

A still further object of my invention is to 1'5 provide an oil purifierthat has improved einciency'and operation and which produces an improvedproduct.

Heretofore devices of the same general character as that of my inventionhave been so cornplicated and expensive in construction that their fieldhas been limited to owners or operators of relatively large fleets oftrucks or automobiles. The initial investment of such devices has beenso high that the savings effectedby its use must be relatively large. g

The oil purifier of my invention is of such simplicityand the number ofparts has been soreduced that it may be -constructedat a cost that willrender it available to the Yoperator of a relatively small number oftrucks orautomobiles and which is sufliciently simplein operation topermit it to be operated by relatively unskilled labor.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of.an'oil V purifier constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of a modication.

An upright cylindrical metal tank l is prolvided with a removable top orcover 2 that is secured thereon by bolts 3. The body of the tank I andthe cover 2 each have a jacket 4 of asbestosor other suitableheat-insulating material and an outer steel'coverlng 5 for protectingthe Jacket 4.

Substantially the lower half of the tank I is surrounded by an electricheating element (i that `is electrically insulated from the tank I andthe covering 5. The heating element 6 is connected to any suitablesource of current (not shown).

A thermostat 1 automatically controls the maximum temperature of thecontents of the tank to prevent overheating.

A vertical shaft 8, which extends centrally of the tank I, has a loweroutboard bearing 9 and an upper outboard bearing I0. The bearings 9 andIll are Supported by a framework VII thatA is secured to and removablewith the cover 2.

The shaft 8 is connected through a universal .joint I2 and a short shaftI3 to an electric mo- 5 toi` I4 mounted on the upper end of a gas-tightcylindrical casing I5. The Shaft I3 extends through an aperture I6`inthe cover 2 and a stuiling box I1 in the casing I5 and is connected tothe motor shaft by means of a coupling I8. 10 The shaft 8 is provided atits lower end with an agitating device in the form of a propeller I9 forthe purpose of.-producing a turbulent agita'- tion of the oil andpreventing the deposition of sediment in the bottom o-f the tank. l5

The shaft 8 is also provided with a spiral lin 20 which serves toactuate a streamer oil upward around the shaft and fin and which isthrown outward at the end of the spiral iin in the form of spray, asindicated at 2|, to facili- 20 tate the escape of. vapors from the oil.

A fan 22 is mounted on the'shaft I3 within the casing l5 andabove theaperture I6. 'Ihe fan 22 draws vapors upwardly through the aperture I6`and forces them to ow through an out- 25 let pipe 23 into a condenser24. The cover 2 is provided with an inner circular flange 25 forpreventing the escape of vapors between the cover 2 and the tank.

The cover 2 is provided with an air inlet pipe 30 26 and an inlet Vforoil to be treated comprising a funnel 21 and a pipe 28 having a valve29. The bottom of the tank is provided with an outlet pipe 30 having avalve 3l and that is conne'cted to a gear pump 32 and a lter press 33.35

The apparatus of Fig. 2 differs from that of. Fig. 1 in that the cover 2is provided with a larger central aperture 35 which is of substantiallythe same diameter as that of the casing I5. A cylindrical casing 36 issuspended from the cover and 40 is provided with a central opening 31,through which extends a shaft 38 that replaces the shaft I3 of Fig. l.The fan 22 is mounted on the shaft 33 within the casing 36. In otherrespects, the apparatus of Fig. 2 is substantially similar to that 45of. Fig. l.

In the operation of the purifier, oil to be treated is poured in at thetop by means of the funnel 21 until'the tank is filled to ay desiredlevel, as indicated in the drawing. The tank is 50 ordinarily adapted toreceive from ve-to ten gallons of oil. i

A suitable quantity of clay or fullers earth is iadded for the purposeof absorbing tarry constituents of the oil and the valve 29 is closed.55

The clay or fullers earth may, however, be added later, if desired.

The tank is then heated to raise the temperature of the oil tobetween.350 F. and 450 depending upon the character of the oil beingtreated and the degree to which the lighter or more volatileconstituents are to be removed. The thermostat 'I may be adjustable ordesigned for the maximum temperature desired.

The motor I4 is in operation during the heating of the oil. Thepropeller I9 actuates oil .downwardly against `the bottom to prevent thedeposition of sediment and to keep the fullers earth or clay insuspension. The spiral n 20 produces oil spray to increase the surfaceexposure of the oil and the liberation of vapors of the volatileelements.

The fan 22 withdraws air and vapors upwardly through the aperture I6into the casing I5 and forcesv them out through the pipe 23. Air flowsin through the air yinlet pipe 26' adjacent the surface of the oil andthe circulation of air thus caused by the fan 22 assists'in theliberation of vapors of gasoline and other volatile in. gredients.

The condenser 24, vwhich may be of any suitable or usual type, collectsthe liquid resulting from the condensible vapors and which flows outthrough a pipe 40. The non-condensible vapors and gases escape through4a pipe 4I.

When the oil has been sufficiently treated, the

valve 3| is opened and the gear pump 32 is operated to withdraw the oilfrom the tank I and force it through the lter press 33. All sediment andsolid material are removed fr'om the oil and the latter thus entirelypuried and renovated is collected at the pipe 42.A

The purified oil is now in condition for the same uses for which it wassuitable in'its.l original state. In fact, the treated oil may have "aneven higher viscosity than that of the original oil.

The purifier may be relled after the treated oil is withdrawn and theoperation repeated as often as desired.

My improved purifier operates simply and eiliciently to 'removeundesirable ingredients of used crank-case oil or oil employed forsimilar purposes and to restore it to at least its original state ofpurity and viscosity. The apparatus is extremely simple and may beoperated with entire safety by relatively unskilled labor.

It is possible that similar results may be obtained by modifications ofthe apparatus of my invention. For example, the vertical shaft andspiral fm may be replaced by other forms of. agitating devices, such,for example, as propeller blades or a. hollow shaft with internalgrooves without departing from the scope of my invention. Accordingly, Ido not limit my invention to the precise embodiment shown and describedother than as expressed in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oil purifier comprising a tank for oil adapted to be filled to anintermediate level, means for heating said oi-l, a vertical shaft insaid tank, an agitator for said oil mounted on said shaft, means forsupplying air adjacent to the surface of said oil, an impeller for vaporon said shaft above the level of the oil and means for driving saidshaft.

2. An oil purifier comprising an upright container for oil to a desiredlevel, a Vertical shaft having means thereonv for forcing oil upward toform a spray above the levelthereof, means for supplying air adjacent tothe surface of said oil, an impeller on said shaft above said oil, and amotor on said tank for driving said shaft.

3. An oil purifier comprising a tank adapted to be partially filled withoil, an inlet for oil, an inlet for supplying air for circulationadjacent to the surface of the oil, a vertical shaft in said tank havingmeans for agitating said oil, a fan on said shaft for causing acirculation of air through said tank above the oil and for withdrawingair and vapors from said tank, and means for actuating said shaft andsaid fan.

JAMES R. MILLER.

